It is generally known that centrifuges are employed to apply centripetal force on to samples and thereby precipitate, separate or fractionate constituents within the samples. Within the centrifuge, a rotor is generally configured to contain the sample. The rotor is typically spun by a motor. That is, the motor applies torque in a direction that is perpendicular to the axis of the rotor to modulate the rotational velocity or speed of the rotor and thereby generate centripetal force. In addition to the generation of centripetal force, the torque applied to the rotor is converted into kinetic energy as the inertial mass of the rotor gains speed.
In the event of a failure of the rotor, the kinetic energy may cause undesirable consequences to personnel and/or property in the vicinity. Therefore, centrifuges typically include a containment system configured to contain and/or dissipate eject a having a certain amount of energy. However, due to the fact that the kinetic energy of the rotor increases as a factor of the rotational velocity squared, it may be undesirably expensive to produce a containment system capable of containing all conceivable amounts of energy a failed rotor may impart.
To facilitate the prevention of a failure of the rotor, rotors typically include a maximum rated speed corresponding to a theoretical and/or empirically derived maximum safe operating speed of the rotor. In addition, there are various conventional rotor identification protocols configured to substantially prevent rotors from being spun at a rate greater than their corresponding maximum rated speed. However, there is not currently a system configured to prevent the kinetic energy of a rotor from exceeding an amount of kinetic energy that the containment system is configured to contain.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a method and apparatus capable of overcoming the disadvantages described herein at least to some extent.